Dinner is served
After our training camp in the Dolomites, we all traveled to Lienz together on Saturday, where we arrived around noon and I was able to use the afternoon for some organizational things. I scratched my laptop while I was still in the Dolomites and a lot was left behind.
But before the thunderstorm in the afternoon I went on my bike, with a short visit to the children's race on the main square, and then on my already traditional pre-load lap to Tristach Lake and via Lavant back to Lienz. Exactly 45 min. with 5 peaks a´45 sec. at 450-500W stood there on the Garmin. The legs were great, considering that I've been on my bike every day since last Thursday and have covered a good 9 meters in altitude and 30000 kilometers in these 1250 days. Each of these 65 hours in the saddle with my team riders was a real treat, because I finally had time for longer units and effective mountain training.
After the last preparations on the bike, we went to the Kaiserschmarren party in the Dolomitenhalle, to pick up the number and to hand over the jersey. As always, the mess was delicious and the atmosphere in the team was great. As soon as they got back to the hotel, most of them went under the covers. For me, the evening was just beginning. I simply couldn't refuse the invitation to the reception at Schloss Bruck with the Italian representatives of the Supergiros, the entire OC Committee and all those responsible for the race, as well as many faces I already knew from previous events of this kind.
On to the fight
So, as usual, we went to bed late and got back to work all the earlier. Certainly not the perfect preparation, but networking is also important in my job. Nobody asks when the alarm clock will ring. So off to breakfast, everything perfectly prepared, a last short briefing and meanwhile already completely self-organized, we rolled into the already reserved front row. Motivated and in good spirits for the great challenge that awaited us. Last short interview with Othmar Peer – meanwhile also routine for my team riders, photos as always by Marco Felgenhauer and other photographers – and then it was: “Start free”!
I immediately away from the front, because I didn't feel like the initial turmoil. The engine revved up immediately. Idling in and out of Lienz. It wasn't long before Paul Lindner showed up and took the lead. Then let it fall further back, had a bite to eat and got back to the front in good time in front of the Gailbergsattel to master the bridge and rails well. Immediately in below, Paul's attack. The entry of the veteran is irresistible - but those who know him know that it doesn't go well forever... So, measured up the Gailberg, saved every grain and took a closer look at the starting field.
Not many celebrities had traveled to Lienz. For me, that was rather surprising, after the premiere last year, where the "Who's Who" of the scene had come through the door. Also no celebrities like Benjamin Karl, Andreas Goldberger and Co., only the “Bernhard Kohl” team with the captain himself, who already impressed my rear wheel well here. So it went with a good 40 men over the Gailberg and a little later up the Plöckenpass ascent. Ulrich is the only one in my team who is still there. Plöckenpass also dosed, let it tear briefly before the flat spot to save grains. Before the top of the pass, then all the way forward again to lead the field safely down through the first hairpin bends and to prevent chaos like last year under the "Beraldo dictatorship".
So it went downhill in a relaxed manner, enough time for a second snack, a brief relief and to unscrew and throw away the bottle holder that had become loose. Also dosed down into the next climb, until I started to thin out the field at the first ramps. Apart from me, no one took the initiative and so from there I was the only one in the lead. In Treppo Carnico then the supposed preliminary decision, on my rear wheel only Kohl, Markus Feyrer (Team Bernhard Kohl) and another, with an unknown driver. So it went over the saddle and into the descent, where, apart from Kohl, nobody could keep up with my current speed. Into the lances below, immediately booted further - constantly 360-370 watts on the clock until the stubborn Feyrer was out of sight.
duel at the top
Then Kohl's escort car caught up with us, a fully equipped station wagon with roof rack and spare wheel. Just like in the professional circus. It didn't matter to me and I wasn't bothered by the wrong information about the lead. The camera team then passed the last few meters in the convertible. At this point many thanks to Marco Felsenhauer and Hans Groder for the great pictures! With Kohl in tow, we also went down the descent, which we mastered with a little caution. It started to dribble and black clouds hung over the mountains. As expected, we were already well on the climb to Nassfeld and still no pursuer in sight - although the lead according to the escort vehicle should be "only" a good 3 minutes...
But thanks to Rudi Neumayr, the race director, I found out the real lead – a good 5 minutes to 2 drivers... So we went up the Nassfeld in light rain. I was still in top form and somehow “cheated” my way without food, but was then happy when Bernhard offered me help from the car and I got gel and a rain jacket for the descent. I didn't have anything with me and no service to Kötschach - still a long way away in the rain that was getting heavier and heavier. I couldn't possibly put the jacket on - it was closed and like a wet plastic sack, so with great difficulty I wriggled under my jersey and down the slippery and cracked Nassfeld descent. It was a slide that luckily we both survived unscathed and then tackled the endless flat section.
Here at the latest it was clear - the rain was not a welcome summer rain but a serious matter that would put people and material to the test for the rest of the route. I, too, had recklessly gambled, had far too little to eat for the weather and certainly no equipment with me. I suspected bad things, because I didn't want to imagine how difficult the descent from the Lanzenpass would be, with more weight and maybe with carbon rims - almost a suicide mission. A few times the rescue team came towards us with blue lights. After the "race" I didn't really feel like it anymore, I would have preferred to turn around and wait for my team drivers. But it would have been extreme to let Kohl go alone….
Through hell and back
... who then allowed himself to be persuaded to take on leadership roles for the first time. After the lead at Nassfeld was now 7 minutes according to the race director, nothing should go wrong. I took another bottle from the race director and probably drank the heavily dosed Isostar drink too "greedily" - I was pretty exhausted and glad for every calorie. After a short action with the police car, which obstructed us several times in Kötschach, we finally reached my refreshment station and I got my long-awaited Allin drink and a bar. So away with the Isostar brew, which bloated my stomach like a balloon, and very cautious sips of the protein shake and a bite of the bar while we went up the first ramp again with 300W.
In the 2nd steep section then Kohl’s completely sudden attack, which I still can’t understand to this day… 60 kilometers from the finish, with a lead of almost 10 minutes in Kötschach – in constant rain, cold and wind – that he was the stronger of the two of us – he had shown it impressively on the lance when he let himself fall back to the car several times and then danced easily back to my rear wheel - despite 370W on my Garmin. In any case, this action pulled my mental plug and I had to fight not to simply turn around, I was so cold and sick – also with anger.
Well - although I would have much preferred to get off and sit in a warm inn, probably to throw up a little later, I tried to keep riding as consistently as possible. With the last of my strength I squeezed myself into the saving rags of a rain jacket, which at least dammed up some warming air on my skin, and ate and drank what I still had. The pedal got more and more tired, the rain got heavier and fewer and fewer the spectators... It was just dreary to drive up there. The only motivation were the few cyclists on the short route that I caught up with and maybe the thought of the sauna in the hotel - but that was still at least 2 agonizing hours away.
After several tricky intermediate descents and all the bumping that made my stomach churn every time, I finally reached the Kartitscher saddle. Unfortunately, the helpers had crept into the warmth at the refreshment points or at least didn't give me anything that could have kept me strong. That's how it went downhill. Stepping was out of the question and the inattentive firefighters misguided me for a moment, but I didn't care about anything anyway, the main thing was to take a hot shower as soon as possible!
Not only once did I consider turning off directly at the 2-kilometer mark to the hotel, but just before Leisach, what had to happen happened, 3 drivers accompanied by a motorcycle rushed past me - with 2 drivers of the short route and Daniel Rubisoir, who wanted to ride the Supergiro “as a training”. With the last of my strength I cling to the back. Instead of 30-35 km/h we drove towards Lienz at 45 to 50 km/h. In the finish passage I only looked to drive reasonably straight. I didn't care about Rubi's arrival any more than anything else that was going on around me. Our supervisor Martina was there immediately, saw what was going on, escorted me to the rescue tent and a little later took me to the hotel.
worries on target
After a cup of tea, I was worried about my fellow combatants: "How was the others doing on the course, did they all come down the lances safely in the rain and where were they struggling against the rain and cold?" Would be without the rain jacket I probably froze to death, but how did my team riders cope? Martina promised to get in touch immediately if I could have helped in any way, and so I crouched under the shower - racked by chills and stomach cramps. Only when Ulrich came into the room a little later and almost hugged me in his cycling gear in the shower did my concern for the others subside, because Ulrich was worried that Mona had won, he himself was 7th overall and pretty much all the team riders were safe had reached the goal.
At that moment, a load fell from my heart and I was overjoyed when we all sat together in the hall, everyone's face had color again, and we - albeit very carefully - our stomachs with the warming noodles, goulash, cake and beat the whole other delicacies full. In a conversation with the organizer, Franz Theurl, my last concern was also eliminated. All drivers were safely at the finish line, still safe on the way, or had long since been picked up by buses and taxis. The many rescue operations all ended relatively mildly, there were no serious injuries and praise from all sides for the excellent "crisis management" of the organization. Our Eberhard also fought bravely to the end, heaving his 100 kilograms over the finish line in an unbelievable 12:45:00 as the proud last and could not be persuaded by anything or anyone to give up. He probably deserves the greatest respect ever!
See you soon, your Stefan
